Van goyen traveled extensively to find scenic vistas for his landscapes. This one shows the remnants of the medieval castle and a section of the walls of the city nijmegen, on the waal river in the eastern netherlands. Against this imposing historic backdrop, the artist introduced a detail from rural life: a ferryboat carrying travelers and farmers with their cows to market. The beauty of van goyen's landscapes lies in his handling of simple visual effects, here the reflections of the sky and foliage in the water, versus the unreflective surfaces of the buildings and earth. The overcast sky is typically dutch; the resulting cool light brings out his orchestration of tonal distinctions. Object Type: painting. Date: 1643 (Baroque). Place of creation: The Hague, Netherlands (?). Dimensions: height: 41.3 cm (16.2 in); width: 58.7 cm (23.1 in). Medium: oil on panel. Collection: Walters Art Museum. Jan van Goyen - The Medieval Fortress at Nijmegen - Walters 37375
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